Articles and methods of manufacturing articles

ABSTRACT

Various articles, such as footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, watchbands, and the like, and methods of forming those articles are presented. The articles are generally formed, in whole or in part, using rapid manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The use of rapid manufacturing allows for relatively economical and time efficient manufacture of customized articles. Portions of the articles may be manufactured using rapid manufacturing and those portions may be joined with portions formed using conventional, non-rapid manufacturing techniques. The methods may also include performing a scan of an appropriate body part of a user, such as a foot, in order to create a customized article of footwear for the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.60/982,047 filed Oct. 23, 2007 and entitled, “Articles and Method ofManufacturing Articles” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/088,330filed Aug. 12, 2008 and entitled “Articles and Method of Manufacture ofArticles,” both of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to wearable articles and methods forthe manufacture of these articles. More particularly, aspects of thisinvention relate to articles such as footwear, including outsoles,midsoles, uppers, heel counters, etc.; watchbands; jewelry; athleticequipment, such as shin guards, hockey sticks, chest protectors, facemasks, golf equipment; and the like, as well as methods of manufacturingthese articles using rapid manufacturing technology.

BACKGROUND

Various manufacturing processes exist to form a variety of manufacturedarticles, such as articles of footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, andthe like. For example, a midsole for an article of footwear may bemanufactured using one of a number of commonly used molding techniques,such as injection molding, blow molding, compression molding, vacuummolding, and the like. These molding methods often require expensivemolding equipment that allows little room for variation in the articlesproduced from the mold. For instance, each size may require productionof a new mold tailored to that specific size. Additionally, any changeto the design of the molded article generally would require the creationof a new mold. These manufacturing methods generally require a costlyretooling anytime a change was made to the molded article design. Inaddition, molding processes often result in material waste as somematerial may be trimmed from the molded article in a post-manufacturingprocessing step.

In addition, conventional molding and article manufacturing methodsoften leave little or no ability to customize the article, such as anarticle of footwear, to the particular needs or desires of the wearer.That is, conventional articles of footwear, apparel, athletic equipment,etc. are often mass produced. While some articles are produced invarying sizes, articles are rarely manufactured to the specifications ofone particular user due to the excessive expense involved in suchcustomization.

SUMMARY

The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention inorder to provide a basic understanding of the invention and variousfeatures of it. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention in any way, but it simply provides a general overview andcontext for the more detailed description that follows.

Aspects of this invention relate to articles, such as footwear,watchbands, articles of apparel, athletic equipment, and the like. Inaddition, aspects of this invention relate to methods of manufacturingsuch articles using rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniques.In some arrangements, all or some part of an article of footwear isformed. The article of footwear may include an upper that can be formedusing rapid manufacturing techniques, and this upper can then be joinedto a sole structure. In some examples, the sole structure may be formedusing conventional, non-rapid manufacturing techniques.

In addition, the sole structure of the article of footwear may be formedusing rapid manufacturing techniques. The sole structure may then bejoined to an upper formed from a rapid manufacturing technique, or to anupper formed from a conventional, non-rapid manufacturing technique.

In some arrangements, a scan is performed of the foot of the wearer todetermine various physical characteristics of the foot. The article offootwear then may be formed, using rapid manufacturing techniques, toconform the article of footwear to better match the physicalcharacteristics of the user's foot obtained via the scan. Such anarrangement provides for customization of the article of footwear to thespecifications of a particular user. Additionally or alternatively, ifdesired, the use of rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniquescan be used to allow a user or other designer to incorporate any desireddesign features into the structure of the footwear (or other object tobe produced).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention and certainadvantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the followingdetailed description in consideration with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 generally illustrates a side view of an example article offootwear formed according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of portions of an example shoe upper formedaccording to this invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an alternate arrangement of an example articleof footwear formed according to aspects of this invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of yet another alternate arrangement of an examplearticle of footwear formed according to aspects of this invention.

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate an example midsole impact force attenuationsystem having interlocking links and formed according to aspects of thisinvention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting one example method of forming anarticle of footwear according to aspects of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of an example watchband formed in accordance withaspects of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an example article of footwear formed accordingto aspects of the invention described herein.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the article of footwear of FIG. 8.

The reader is advised that the attached drawings are not necessarilydrawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of various example structures in accordancewith the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings,which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustrationvarious example articles and methods for manufacturing these articles,such as footwear, watchbands, apparel, athletic equipment, and the like.Additionally, it is to be understood that other specific arrangements ofparts and structures may be utilized, and structural and functionalmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,”“back,” “rear,” “side,” “underside,” “overhead,” and the like may beused in this specification to describe various example features andelements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter ofconvenience, e.g. based on the example orientations shown in the figuresand/or the orientations in typical use. Nothing in this specificationshould be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional or spatialorientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of thisinvention. Further, the invention will generally be described inaccordance with an article of footwear and method of manufacturing anarticle of footwear. However, the invention may be used in accordancewith a variety of articles and nothing in the specification or figuresshould be construed to limit the invention to articles of footwear.

A. General Description of Articles and Method for Manufacture ofArticles, Such as Footwear, Watchbands, Apparel, Athletic Equipment, andthe Like, According to Examples of the Invention

In general, as described above, aspects of this invention relate toarticles, such as footwear, watchbands, articles of apparel (e.g.,pants, shirts, outerwear, etc.), athletic equipment (e.g., hockeysticks, goalie masks, football helmets, shin guards, lacrosse sticks,etc.), and the like. In addition, aspects of this invention relate tomethods of manufacturing such articles. More detailed descriptions ofaspects of this invention follow.

1. Example Articles, Such as Articles of Footwear, Watchbands, Apparel,Athletic Equipment, and the Like, According to the Invention

One aspect of this invention relates to articles of manufacture, such asapparel, athletic equipment, and the like. In some more specificexamples, aspects of this invention relate to articles of footwear. Sucharticles of footwear may include, for example, an upper and a solestructure engaged with the upper. In at least some examples, the upperand sole structure may be formed using a rapid manufacturing technique,such as laser sintering, solid deposition modeling, stereolithography,and the like. The upper and sole structure may be integrally formed as asingle piece. Alternatively, the upper and sole structure may be formedseparately and may be connected using any known means for connecting,such as stitching, adhesively bonding, mechanical connectors orfasteners, and the like. The upper and sole structure may be formed ofsubstantially the same or similar materials or different materials.However, each material used is generally flexible to allow for properfunction of the article of footwear.

In other examples, the upper may be formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique, such as those described above. The upper may be formed as asingle piece or as a plurality of upper portions that are joinedtogether. In these arrangements, the upper may be engaged with aconventional sole structure, such as a sole structure formed using anon-rapid manufacturing technique. Such techniques may include varioustypes of molding, such as injection molding, compression molding, blowmolding, vacuum molding, and the like. The conventional sole structuremay include any known midsole impact force attenuation system to absorbthe force of the foot hitting the ground during walking, running, etc.Such midsole impact force attenuation systems generally may includecolumn type impact force attenuation systems, foam core impact forceattenuation systems, fluid-filled bladder impact force attenuationsystems, etc. Once the upper is formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique, the upper may undergo additional processing, for examplepainting, to provide a desired appearance.

In still other examples, the upper may be a conventional upper (e.g.,formed of leather, textiles, polymeric materials, etc.). That is, theupper may be formed from a non-rapid manufacturing technique. Theconventional upper may be engaged with a sole structure formed using arapid manufacturing technique. The sole structure generally includes amidsole having a midsole impact force attenuation system and an outsole.The midsole and outsole may be integrally formed as a single piece ormay be formed separately. The midsole impact force attenuation systemmay be a column type impact force attenuation system, foam core impactforce attenuation system, fluid-filled bladder impact force attenuationsystem, and the like. In addition, the use of rapid manufacturing informing the sole structure allows for complex designs to be formed. Forinstance, the sole structure may include a midsole impact forceattenuation type comprised of a plurality of interlocking links.

Still further example articles may include articles of footwear whereinthe upper is formed using a rapid manufacturing technique, and the solestructure is also formed using a rapid manufacturing technique. Theupper and sole structure are then engaged using any known method, suchas stitching, adhesively bonding, mechanical connectors or fasteners,etc. In some examples, the upper and sole structure are formed using thesame rapid manufacturing technique, optionally, as a unitary, one piececonstruction. However, if desired, the upper may be formed using a rapidmanufacturing technique different from the rapid manufacturing techniqueused to form the sole structure.

Additional aspects of the articles described above will be described indetail more fully below.

2. Example Methods of Manufacturing Articles, Such as Articles ofFootwear, Apparel, Athletic Equipment, and Watchbands According to theInvention

Another aspect of this invention relates to methods of manufacturingarticles, such as apparel, athletic equipment, footwear, and the like.Such methods of manufacturing articles of footwear include forming anupper, forming a sole structure and engaging the upper with the solestructure. In some examples, the sole structure and the upper may beformed using rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniques, suchas laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, andthe like. The upper may be formed as a single piece or as a plurality ofportions joined together. In addition, the upper may be formed toinclude texture during the rapid manufacturing process. In addition, theupper and sole structure may be integrally formed as a single piece.Alternatively, the upper and sole structure may be formed separately andjoined using known means of joining, such as stitching, adhesivebonding, mechanical connectors or fasteners, and the like.

In other examples, the upper may be formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique, while the sole structure is formed from a non-rapidmanufacturing technique. The upper may be joined with the conventionalsole structure using known means of joining, such as those describedabove. In addition, the upper may include texture formed during therapid manufacturing process. The upper may also include one or more postmanufacturing processing steps. For instance, the upper may be paintedto obtain a desired appearance.

In still other examples, the upper may be formed from conventionalmethods of manufacturing (i.e., non-rapid manufacturing techniques)while the sole structure is formed from a rapid manufacturing technique.In such examples, the sole structure may be joined with the upper usingmethods described above. If desired, multiple portions of the solestructure may be formed as a single piece. For example, the midsole andoutsole of the sole structure may be integrally formed as a singlepiece. Alternatively, the portions of the sole structure may be formedas separate pieces (by rapid manufacturing or other techniques) andjoined together. The sole structure is generally formed with an midsoleimpact force attenuation system formed in the midsole. If desired, inaddition to or as an alternative to impact attenuating systems formed byrapid manufacturing techniques, the midsole impact force attenuationsystem may include one or more of several impact force attenuationtypes, such as fluid-filled bladders, column type elements, foam cores,and the like. In addition, the use of rapid manufacturing to form themidsole impact force attenuation system permits manufacture of compleximpact force attenuation designs. For instance, the midsole impact forceattenuation system may include a plurality of interlocking links.

In some examples, the article of footwear may be formed from a scan ofthe foot of the user. For instance, a scan may be performed on the footof the user to determine various physical characteristics of the user'sfoot. A design file, such as a computer aided design (CAD) file, may becreated from the scan. The design file generally includes athree-dimensional design of the article of footwear designed based uponthe results of the scan. The upper and sole structure are then formedbased on the design file using a rapid manufacturing technique. Thismethod allows for customization of the article of footwear to fit thesize and dimension of the particular user's foot. Systems used for suchscanning are generally known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No.5,880,961 to Crump describes one such method and is incorporated hereinby reference.

Other examples of methods of manufacture include manufacturing otherarticles, such as athletic equipment, articles of apparel, watchbands,and the like. Such methods may include performing a scan of theappropriate body part of the user. For instance, a scan of a user'slower leg may be performed when manufacturing a shin guard according toaspects of the invention. Once the scan is performed, a design file iscreated including a three dimensional design of the shin guard based onthe scan of the user's lower leg. The shin guard is then manufacturedbased on the design file using a rapid manufacturing technique.

B. Specific Examples of the Invention

FIG. 1 generally illustrates an example article of footwear 100 formedaccording to aspects of the invention. The article of footwear 100includes an upper 102 and a sole structure 104. The articles and methodsdescribed herein references articles of footwear may include any knowntype of article of footwear, including athletic shoes, such as runningshoes, court shoes, soccer shoes, baseball cleats, etc., dress shoes,sandals, and the like. For purposes of reference in the followingmaterial, footwear 100 may be divided into three general regions: aforefoot, or toe region 111, a midfoot region 112, and a heel region113, as identified in FIG. 1. In addition, footwear 100 includes twosides: lateral side 114 and medial side (not shown). Lateral side 114 ispositioned to extend along a lateral outer side of the foot andgenerally passes through each of regions 111-113. Similarly, medial sideis positioned to extend along an opposite inner side of the foot andgenerally passes through each of regions 111-113. Regions 111-113 andthe medial and lateral sides are not intended to demarcate precise areasof footwear 100. Rather, regions 111-113 and the medial and lateralsides are intended to represent general areas of footwear 100 thatprovide a frame of reference during the following discussion.

Generally, upper 102 is secured to sole structure 104 and defines acavity for receiving a foot. Access to the cavity is provided by anankle opening 106 located in heel region 113. A lace 108 extends throughvarious apertures in upper 102. Lace 108 may be utilized in aconventional manner to selectively increase a size of ankle opening 106and modify certain dimensions of upper 102, particularly girth, toaccommodate feet with varying dimensions. Various materials are suitablefor use in manufacturing a conventional upper. Those materials used inconventional uppers include leather, synthetic leather, rubber,textiles, and polymer foams, for example, that are stitched oradhesively bonded together. The specific materials utilized for upper102 may be selected to impart wear-resistance, flexibility,air-permeability, moisture control, and comfort. In some conventionalarrangements, different materials may be incorporated into differentareas of upper 102 in order to impart specific properties to thoseareas. Furthermore, the materials may be layered in order to provide acombination of properties to specific areas. In accordance with aspectsof this invention, the upper 102 may be formed using a rapidmanufacturing technique from a thermoplastic elastomer, as will bediscussed more fully below.

Sole structure 104 is secured to a lower surface of upper 102 andincludes an outsole 120 and a midsole 122. Outsole 120 forms aground-engaging surface of sole structure 104 and may be formed of adurable, wear-resistant material. Conventional outsole structures 120may be formed of rubber that is textured or otherwise structured toenhance traction. In accordance with aspects of this invention, theoutsole 120 and/or midsole 122 may be formed, using a rapidmanufacturing technique, of a thermoplastic elastomer, as will bediscussed more fully below. In some embodiments, outsole 120 may beintegrally formed with midsole 122 or may be a lower surface of midsole122. Some conventional midsoles are primarily formed of a polymer foammaterial, such as polyurethane or ethylvinylacetate, that forms a foamcore type impact force attenuation system in the midsole 122. Otherconventional midsoles may include a column type midsole impact forceattenuation system, such as the one shown in FIG. 1. Additional midsoleimpact force attenuation members are available for use in conventionalmidsoles, including fluid-filled bladder type impact force attenuationsystems. These various impact force attenuation systems, includingcolumn type, foam core, and the like, may also be manufactured usingrapid manufacturing techniques and associated materials in accordancewith aspects of this invention, and/or may be used in midsoles havingportions thereof manufactured using rapid manufacturing additivefabrication techniques and materials according to aspects of thisinvention, as will be discussed more fully below.

Portions of conventional articles of footwear are generally formed froma variety of different types of materials and a variety of differentmanufacturing processes. In some arrangements, the upper and solestructure are generally formed as separate pieces and then joined in apost-manufacture processing step. In forming the upper, a plurality ofupper portions may be formed or cut, using conventional methods, andthen are connected to each other. The upper portions may be connected byany known means such as stitching, adhesives, and the like. This processoften includes generation of a substantial amount of waste associatedwith trimming each of the individual pieces of the upper to be thecorrect shape and size for that particular upper or portion of theupper.

FIG. 2 illustrates portions of an upper formed according to aspects ofthis invention described herein. The upper of FIG. 2 is shown as aplurality of upper portions 202 a, 202 b that are individually formed.According to aspects described herein, each individual upper portion maybe formed using a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique,such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling,and the like. Rapid manufacturing fabrication techniques involvecreating a three-dimensional design in a data file, such as ComputerAided Design (CAD) file, and building the object of thethree-dimensional design in an automated layer by layer process.Essentially, the fabrication equipment reads the three-dimensionaldesign from the data file and lays down successive layers of powder,liquid or sheet material to build the three dimensional object. Thelayers are joined together by the fabrication equipment, for instance ahigh powered laser may be used, to form the three dimensional object ofthe design. Such rapid manufacturing techniques are generally known.

One particular process for forming articles that may be used inaccordance with aspects described herein is laser sintering. Thisprocess involves creating a three-dimensional design in a data file,such as a CAD file. The laser sintering fabrication equipment reads theCAD file and forms the three-dimensional object of the design, such asan upper or portion of an upper for an article of footwear, using a highpowered laser to fuse powders or small particles of plastic, metal orceramic. First, a layer of powdered material is laid down. Then, thelaser is scanned over the powdered layer and is selectively turned onand off to selectively fuse the powdered material at the desiredlocations for that cross-section of the article being built based on thecross-sections generated from a CAD file. The laser is turned on at thedesired locations along the cross-section to fuse the powder at thelocations where structure of the article is desired, and the laser isturned off at locations along the cross-sections where no structure ispresent (the laser need not be physically turned on and off but itsimply is, in some manner, exposed to the powder material or masked fromthe powder material, such as via a shutter, lens system, defocusingsystem, etc.). After each cross-section is scanned and built, the powderbed is lowered by one layer thickness, a new layer of material isapplied on top, and the laser scanning process is repeated until thepart is completed. Once the scanning is completed, the final part may bepulled from its powdered surroundings and the unused powder may bereused. Laser sintering and other rapid manufacturing processes aregenerally known. One example system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,697to Bourell et al. and is incorporated herein by reference.

For instance, the individual portions 202 a, 202 b of the upper 200 ofFIG. 2 may be formed layer by layer using a laser sintering technique.That is, a three-dimensional design of the desired upper can be createdin a design file, such as a CAD file. The design may include allportions of the upper or just a single portion. In the arrangement ofFIG. 2, the upper is shown in two portions 202 a, 202 b. However, itshould be noted that any number of upper portions may be produced andjoined to create the desired upper. The individual portions 202 a, 202 bof the upper are formed to the desired dimensions of the upper. That is,no additional material is included in the final part that may requiretrimming or other additional processing.

The three-dimensional design created may include any number of regionshaving different design characteristics. For example, some regions ofone or more upper portions may have an increased thickness to provideadditional wear resistance and/or support for the wearer. Providingincreased thickness in the virtual design will translate into increasedthickness in the finally produced upper product. However, the increasedthickness will be added in the same manufacturing step as used increating other portions of the upper, rather than by adding additionalupper portions, as was done with conventional uppers. Additionally oralternatively, one or more upper portions may include texture and/orother design elements (such as logos, an individual's name, a team name,etc.) to obtain a desired appearance for the upper. By manufacturing theupper from the virtual file using rapid manufacturing additivefabrication techniques, any number of variations could be made toessentially customize the upper to the specifications or desires of thewearer, without the need for constructing new molds or other retoolingsteps.

Once the three-dimensional design file is created, a layer of powder maybe dispensed (e.g., in a build-up chamber) to form an initial layer ofthe portion of the upper being created. As mentioned above, the uppercould be formed as a single piece in a single, rapid manufacturing step.Alternatively, the upper may be formed as a plurality of upper portionsthat will be joined together. This plurality of upper portions may alsobe formed in a single manufacturing step or separately. The layer ofpowder is selectively exposed to laser radiation to selectively fuse thepowder together at the desired locations. Additional layers of powdermay be dispensed on top of the initial layer and a high-powered lasermay be used to selectively fuse the additional layers of powder materialtogether to form the upper, or portion of the upper, created in thethree-dimensional design file. In regions where additional thickness isdesired, additional layers of powder will be fused together to add tothe thickness of that region, while the powder laid down outside of thatregion will not be fused and will be removed. For instance, the generalthickness of the upper may be between 1/16 and 3/16 inch thick. However,the portion or region having increased thickness may include additionalmaterial to provide a thickness of between ⅛ and 5/16 inch thick. Inorder to reduce waste, in some arrangements, the powder that is removedcan be recovered and reused in a subsequent layer or a later producedproduct. In some arrangements, 5-95% of the powder may be recovered andreused. In one particular arrangement, 20-80% or even 30-70% of thepowder may be recovered and reused.

Once each portion of the upper is complete, the portions may beconnected together to form the upper. Known means of connection, such asstitching, adhesives, mechanical connectors and fasteners, and the likecan be used to join the individual portions of the upper. Once theindividual portions of the upper are joined together, the upper can thenbe joined to a conventional sole structure or a sole structure formedusing a rapid manufacturing technique, as will be described below.

One advantage of using rapid manufacturing techniques for formingarticles, such as an upper for an article of footwear, is that there isminimal material waste associated with manufacturing the article. Whenmanufacturing conventional articles, material is often trimmed from thearticle in order to obtain the desired size or shape of the article. Inthe method described herein, the three-dimensional design file can becreated having the particular desired shape and/or dimensions of thearticle. The article is then built to those particular shapes and/ordimensions. No additional material is added to the structure that mayneed to be removed to obtain the desired size and shape of the article.

In addition, creating the upper using rapid manufacturing techniquesallows for customization of the upper for each individual upper, ifdesired. For instance, because each upper is manufactured from athree-dimensional design file for that particular upper, various changescould be made to the file to accommodate each individual user'scustomization preferences. For instance, a user may request a particularheight of the upper or pattern of material on the upper. The design filefrom which the upper is made can then be created or altered to meet thedesires of that particular user. A single upper may be manufactured tothese specifications or, alternatively, a plurality of uppers may bemanufactured.

In addition, various textures or other design features can be added tothe upper based on a user's desires. For instance, a user may desire tohave a certain texture added to a toe area of the upper. Alternativelyor additionally, the user may desire to have texture added around anankle portion of the upper on one or both of the medial and lateralsides of the upper. In such a case, the three-dimensional design filefrom which the upper is built is created or altered to include thedesired texture for that specific upper. In some arrangements, the samedesign file may be used to create a plurality of uppers. Alternatively,a single design file may be used to create a single upper. In this samemanner, designs, logos, and/or alphanumeric information may beincorporated into the design and into the final structure of thearticle.

In some arrangements, properties of the laser used to fuse the particlestogether may be adjusted to alter the characteristics of the objectcreated. For instance, the laser power, intensity, beam diameter orscanning speed may be adjusted to alter the properties of the objectcreated, e.g., to strengthen the part, to make the part more or lessrigid, etc. The laser properties may be adjusted to optimize performanceof the article, appearance of the article, speed of production, and thelike.

The upper formed using rapid manufacturing technology may be formedusing any known material suitable for use in rapid manufacturingprocesses and sufficiently flexible to form a flexible, bendablearticle, such as a shoe upper. In some examples, the upper may be formedusing a thermoplastic elastomer, such as DuraForm Flex plasticmanufactured and sold by 3D Systems, or other similar materials, such asmanufactured by Advanced Laser Materials, LLC (e.g., ALM Flex) and EvonkIndustries (e.g., Evonik Soft Touch).

In addition, the upper formed using rapid manufacturing additivefabrication techniques described above may also include a urethane resinor other infiltrate. That is, once the upper has been formed, thematerial may be generally somewhat porous. In order to alter theproperties, appearance, and the like of the upper, it may be dipped in,painted with, sprayed with, or otherwise exposed to an infiltrate. Theinfiltrate will absorb into the material of the upper and fill some orall of the space in the porous material. This process may alter theproperties of the upper. For instance, the infiltrate may reinforce thethermoplastic elastomer of the upper to strengthen the upper. In someexamples, ST series resins, such as ST-1075 A, ST-3040 A, ST-3052, etc.,manufactured by BJB Enterprises, Inc. of Tustin, Calif., may be used toalter the properties of the article.

In addition, the infiltrate may vary in hardness or vary the strength ofthe upper. For instance, an infiltrate having a hardness in the range of20-70 Shore A may be used to strengthen the upper. In some arrangements,infiltrate having a hardness ranging from 30-55 Shore A may be used tostrengthen the upper (e.g., to provide wear resistance, abrasionresistance, etc.).

In arrangements where various portions of an article of footwear aremanufactured using rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniques,the infiltrate used in the various portions of the article of footwearmay vary. For instance, an infiltrate having a higher hardness level maybe used in forming a sole structure to provide a more rigid structure,while an infiltrate having a comparatively lower hardness level may beused in forming the upper to provide strength but less rigidity than thesole structure.

In addition to dipping the upper, or other portion of an article offootwear, in an infiltrate to alter the properties of the material, theupper may be dipped in infiltrate under pressure. That is, addingpressure to the dipping process may aid in providing deeper penetrationof the infiltrate than arrangements without pressure because a vacuum iscreated to force the infiltrate into the spaces in the porous uppermaterial.

In some arrangements, the infiltrate used may be clear. In otherarrangements, the infiltrate used may include a pigment or a dye to addcolor to the object dipped in the infiltrate. Such colorants or dyes aregenerally known.

Once the shoe upper is formed using a rapid manufacturing technique, anydesired post-manufacturing processes may be performed on the upper. Forinstance, in some cases the material used to form the upper may resultin the upper being a single, solid color, such as white. Accordingly,the shoe upper may be painted one or more colors to enhance the designor to obtain a desired appearance for the upper. In other arrangements,the layering material used to form the upper may include multiple colorsproviding different color schemes for a particular upper. If desired, inthose cases, portions of the upper still may be painted to furtherenhance the design. Further, additional coatings may be applied to theshoe upper to provide additional durability, wear resistance, abrasionresistance, traction, and the like.

In addition to using paint to alter the appearance of the upper, theportions of the upper may be joined using a colored adhesive. Such anadhesive may be used with a painted or unpainted upper and may be usedto aid in the appearance of the adhesive blending into the aestheticappearance of the upper while adhering the upper portions. Alternativelyor additionally, colored adhesives may be used that are different colorsfrom the color(s) of the upper to further alter the design or to providea customized appearance of the upper.

In addition to altering the color of the finished article, the articlemay undergo additional post-processing to alter the appearance of thearticle. For instance, the article may undergo a sand-blasting orwater-jet blasting procedure to provide a rough or worn appearance.Additionally or alternatively, the article may be placed in a tumbler tosmooth edges of the article.

In addition to the upper portion of the shoe being formed using rapidmanufacturing techniques, the sole portion of a shoe may also be formedusing rapid manufacturing techniques. For instance, the sole structuremay be formed using techniques such as laser sintering, solid depositionmodeling, stereolithography, and the like.

The sole structure of a shoe generally includes a midsole and anoutsole. The midsole and outsole may be integrally formed as a singlepiece, or the outsole may be formed separately from the midsole andjoined to the midsole in an additional processing step. In somearrangements, the midsole and outsole may both be formed using rapidmanufacturing techniques and may be formed as separate pieces. Inanother arrangement, the midsole and outsole may be formed as separatepieces and only one of the midsole or outsole may be formed using rapidmanufacturing techniques, while the other portion is formed using aconventional technique, such as molding, including injection molding,blow molding, compression molding, vacuum molding, and the like. In yetanother arrangement, the midsole and outsole may be integrally formed asa single piece using rapid manufacturing techniques. Using manufacturingmethods such as rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniquesresults in minimal material waste and the ability to customize the solestructure created.

FIG. 3 shows one example article of footwear 300 with a sole structure304 that may be formed using rapid manufacturing techniques. The solestructure 304 includes a midsole 306 and an outsole 308. The midsole 306further includes a impact force attenuation system. In the arrangementof FIG. 3, the article of footwear 300 includes a foam core type impactforce attenuation system. The foam core midsole 306 may be formed usinga rapid manufacturing technique. The midsole 306 may be formed from athermoplastic elastomer, such as DuraForm Flex plastic manufactured andsold by 3D Systems. Additionally or alternatively, the foam core may beformed from a printed foam manufactured using a rapid manufacturingtechnique.

In addition, the outsole 308 of article of footwear 300 may also beformed using a rapid manufacturing technique, such as laser sintering,stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The outsole308 may be formed of the same material as the midsole 306 (i.e.,thermoplastic elastomer, such as DuraForm Flex plastic manufactured andsold by 3D Systems) or may be formed of a material different from thatof the midsole. In some examples, the midsole 306 and outsole 308 may beintegrally formed as a single piece formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique. In other examples, the midsole 306 and outsole 308 may beformed as separate pieces and joined, via known methods of joining, suchas stitching, adhesives, mechanical connectors and fasteners, and thelike. In these examples, the midsole 306 and outsole 308 may each beformed using a rapid manufacturing technique. In still other examples,the midsole 306 may be formed using a rapid manufacturing techniquewhile the outsole 308 may be formed from a conventional material, (e.g.,rubber, plastic, etc.), and formed using conventional methods (e.g.,molding, etc.). An alternate arrangement may also be considered whereinthe midsole 306 is formed using conventional, non-rapid manufacturingtechniques, and the outsole 308 is formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique.

As shown in FIG. 3, the thickness of the midsole 306 varies depending onthe region of the foot. For instance, the midsole 306 in the heel region(113 in FIG. 1) is thicker than the midsole 306 in the toe region (111in FIG. 1) to provide increased impact attenuation to the heel region113 during a heel strike portion of a walking or running motion. Thisvariation in thickness may be included in the three-dimensional designof the midsole 306 when the design file is created. Accordingly,additional layers of material will be selectively fused at the heelregion 113 and not at the toe region 111, to provide the increasedthickness, and corresponding increased impact attenuation, in the heelregion 113. In some arrangements, the heel region of the midsole may bea thickness between ½ inch and 2 inches. However, the toe region of themidsole 111 may have a thickness between ¼ inch and 1 inch. Thethickness of the midfoot region (112 in FIG. 1) may be a range ofthicknesses to allow for a gradual increase from the thickness of thetoe region 111 to the thickness of the heel region 113.

The sole structure of FIG. 3 is joined to an upper 302. The upper 302may be formed using rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniques,as discussed above. Alternatively, the upper 302 may be a conventionalupper formed using conventional non-rapid manufacturing methods andmaterials.

With further reference to FIG. 1, the impact force attenuation systemshown in article of footwear 100 is a column type impact forceattenuation system 115. That is, a plurality of columns 116 is arrangedwithin the midsole 122 in the heel region 113 to provide impactattenuation for the user during walking, running, athletic activities,and the like. In the arrangement of FIG. 1, the sole 104 shown may beformed using a rapid manufacturing technique. For instance, the entiresole structure 104, including the midsole 122, outsole 120 and pluralityof impact force attenuation columns 116, may be integrally formed as asingle piece from one or more three-dimensional design files. The sole104 may be manufactured using a rapid manufacturing technique, such aslaser sintering, wherein layers of a powder material are selectivelyfused together based on the three-dimensional design in the design filecreated in order to produce the desired sole structure. For instance, inthe heel region 113, layers of powder may be fused together in regionswhere the columns 116 are being created. However, the powder that islayered in the void 117 between the columns would not be fused and wouldbe removed and possibly recycled for future use. Such an arrangementminimizes waste associated with the manufacturing process because thesole structure 104 is built in layers to include only the structure,including the desired dimensions, features, etc., included in the designfile from which the sole was manufactured. No additional material beyondthe desired specifications of the sole structure need be produced.

Alternatively, the various portions of the sole structure may bemanufactured individually using a rapid manufacturing technique and theportions formed may then be joined to produce the desired sole structure104. For example, the sole structure 104 of FIG. 1 may be manufacturedin several portions, including a midsole 122, a plurality of impactattenuation columns 116, and an outsole 120. Greater or fewer solestructure components may be formed to ultimately form the solestructure. Each portion of the sole structure 104 may be formed using arapid manufacturing technique, such as laser sintering, solid depositionmodeling, stereolithography, and the like. Once the portions are formed,each portion may be joined to the others, thereby forming the desiredsole structure 104. In such an arrangement, the portions may be joinedusing any known method, such as adhesives, and the like. In still otherarrangements, the columns 116 may be formed using conventionalmanufacturing processes and joined with the midsole 122 and outsole 120formed using rapid manufacturing techniques.

FIG. 4 illustrates yet another example article of footwear 400 formedaccording to aspects of this invention. The article of footwear 400shown includes an upper 402 and a sole structure 404. The upper 402 ofthe arrangement shown may be formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique. At least some portions of the sole structure 404 may also beformed using a rapid manufacturing technique. The sole structure 404 ofthis example structure includes a midsole 406 including a midsole impactforce attenuation system 407, and an outsole 408. The midsole impactforce attenuation system 407 shown includes one or more air bagsconfigured to provide impact attenuation during walking, running orother athletic activities. The one or more fluid-filled bladders may beconfigured in a void formed in the midsole 406. In one arrangement, thevarious components of the sole structure 404 may be integrally formed asa single piece using a rapid manufacturing technique. In otherarrangements, the various sole structure components may be formedseparately using a rapid manufacturing technique and joined using anyknown method of joining such components. In the arrangement of FIG. 4,the midsole 406 and outsole 408 may be formed using a rapidmanufacturing technique and the fluid filled bladders forming themidsole impact force attenuation type 407 may be conventionalfluid-filled bladders inserted into the midsole 406.

In some arrangements, texture may be added to the sole structure. Forexample, the outsole 408 may include texture on a bottom side toincrease traction for the wearer. Additionally or alternatively, themidsole 406 may include texture along the heel, lateral or medial sideto provide a desired aesthetic appearance of the midsole 406. Regardlessof the position or type of texture, the texture can simply be added tothe design by including the desired texture in the three-dimensionaldesign created in the design file used to produce the sole using rapidmanufacturing. Logos, alphanumeric information and other design featurescan also be added to the sole structure 404 in a similar manner.

Another advantage of the use of rapid manufacturing to manufacturewearable articles is that rapid manufacturing allows for complex designsto be economically and efficiently manufactured. For instance, use ofrapid manufacturing in the manufacture of footwear allows for productionof soles having configurations that may be difficult or impossible toconstruct using conventional sole manufacturing methods. For example,FIGS. 5A and 5B depict an alternate arrangement of a sole structure thatmay be manufactured in accordance with aspects described herein. Thesole structure shown may be manufactured, in whole or in part, using arapid manufacturing technique, such as laser sintering, solid depositionmodeling, stereolithography, and the like. The sole structure shownincludes a midsole housing 502 containing the midsole impact forceattenuation system. The midsole housing 502 may be configured to providesupport for the foot of the wearer and for the midsole impact forceattenuation system. In the arrangement shown, the midsole impact forceattenuation system comprises plurality of interlocking links 504. Theinterlocking links 504 generally act as an impact attenuation componentof the sole structure. The interlocking links 504 provide impact forceattenuation to the foot of the wearer and distribute the forceassociated with the foot of the wearer hitting the ground during awalking or running movement. The complex structure of the interlockinglinks may be costly and/or time consuming to produce (or even impossibleto produce) using conventional manufacturing methods. However, rapidmanufacturing allows the interlocking links arrangement to be producedin a relatively quick and cost effective manner. The interlocking linksare simply included in the three-dimensional design created in thedesign file and the structure is built using the layer-by-layer processdescribed above.

The sole structure also includes an outsole 506 that may be integrallyformed with the midsole housing and interlocking links of the midsoleimpact force attenuation system. Alternatively, the outsole may bemanufactured as a separate portion of the sole structure. One advantageof manufacturing the various portions or components of the solestructure using a rapid manufacturing technique is that it allows thedifferent components or the entire sole structure to be formed using asingle process and the components can be formed having varyingthicknesses, textures, etc.

In some arrangements, the sole structure may include the interlockinglinks 504 without the use of a midsole housing 502, as shown in FIG. 5C.If desired, an outsole 506 may be manufactured as part of theinterlocking links 504 using the rapid manufacturing additivefabrication technique, or the outsole 506 may be formed separately andconnected to the interlocking links 504 using known methods ofattachment, such as adhesives, stitching and the like. As another morespecific example, the interlocking link structure may “morph” into amore conventional appearing outsole structure.

In some arrangements, the interlocking links 504 shown in FIGS. 5A and5B may form the entire article of footwear, as shown in FIG. 5C. Thatis, the sole structure 550 may be formed of interlocking links 552 andthe upper 560 may also be formed of interlocking links 562. The upper560 and sole structure 550 may be formed in a single rapid manufacturingprocess or may be formed separately and joined upon completion of eachportion. In some arrangements, the size, thickness, configuration, etc.of the interlocking links 552, 562 may be different on the solestructure 550 than on the upper 560. For instance, the sole structure550 may include interlocking links 552 and the upper 560 may includesmaller, thinner interlocking links 562 that will provide additionalprotection to the foot of the wearer from rain, debris, and otherenvironmental factors. Alternatively, the sole structure 550 may havesmaller interlocking links than the upper 560. In still otherarrangements, the interlocking links of the upper 560 and sole structure550 may vary in different regions of the upper or sole structure toprovide additional impact attenuation, support, etc. for the foot of thewearer.

In some arrangements, the three-dimensional design of the wearablearticle being produced can be created based on a scan of a wearer's bodypart. For instance, the feet of a user may be scanned to obtaininformation regarding the physical characteristics of the foot (e.g.,width, length, thickness, arch, location, arch height, heel curvature,etc.). A three dimensional design of the desired article may be createdin a design file, such as a CAD file, based on the scan. The CAD filecreated from the scan may then be used to create the article using arapid manufacturing technique and the article created may be acustomized shoe designed and configured to fit the exact characteristicsof the foot of the user. Systems used for such scanning are generallyknown in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,961 to Crumpdescribes one such method and is incorporated herein by reference.

Although the following example will be described with respect tofootwear, it should be recognized that a similar method and process maybe used to scan various body parts of a wearer body to produce any of avariety of articles, including apparel, watchbands, eyeglasses, athleticequipment, and the like.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating one example method of producing anarticle of footwear. In step 600, a scan is performed of a user's feet.The scan may be performed using known methods, computer systems, andsoftware, e.g., as described above. The scan is performed to obtainvarious physical characteristics of the foot of the wearer in order todesign a customized shoe configured to fit the specifications andcharacteristics of the user's foot. From the scan, a three-dimensionaldesign of the desired article of footwear is created in a data file,such as a CAD file, as shown in step 602. Once the design file iscreated, the article of footwear is created using a rapid manufacturingtechnique in step 604. For instance, the upper and/or sole may beproduced using laser sintering. The layer-by-layer manufacturing processallows the upper and/or sole to be created to the specifications of thedesign file. The article of footwear produced is manufactured andconfigured to fit the physical characteristics of the user's footobtained during the scan. In step 606, any additional desired processingis performed on the article of footwear. For example, the upper may bepainted or exposed to one or more infiltrates to provide the desiredappearance and/or characteristics of the upper. Such methods can beparticularly useful for providing comfortable and custom fitted footwearto user's that have somewhat different-sized feet.

Although many examples discussed above have been directed to articles offootwear and the manufacture thereof, aspects of this invention may beused with the manufacture of a variety of wearable articles, includingapparel, watchbands, athletic equipment, eyeglasses and the like. Forinstance, FIG. 7 illustrates one example watchband 700 that may bemanufactured using aspects of this invention. The watchband 700generally includes a first strap 702 and a second strap 704. The firststrap 702 may include a plurality of apertures 706 through which a stemof a closure portion may protrude. The first and second straps 702, 704of the watchband 700 may each include an aperture extending widthwiseacross the strap arranged at an inside end 708 of each strap 702, 704.The aperture may be configured to receive a pin or other retainingdevice that can be used to join the straps 702, 704 to the face (notshown). Similar apertures may also be arranged at a far end of the strap704 for engaging the buckle member. The watchband 700 shown may beformed using a rapid manufacturing technique, such as laser sintering,solid deposition modeling, stereolithography, and the like. That is, athree-dimensional design of the watchband 700 is created in a designfile, such as a CAD file and the watchband 700 is manufactured from thedesign file using a layer-by-layer rapid manufacturing method, such asdescribed above. The apertures 706 for receiving the closure stem andthe apertures for receiving the retaining pin are included in thethree-dimensional design and are thereby constructed in the rapidmanufactured final product.

FIGS. 8 through 10 illustrate yet another example article of footwear800 that may be formed according to aspects described herein. Thearticle of footwear 800 shown may be formed using a rapid manufacturingtechnique or rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique, such aslaser sintering, solid deposition modeling, stereolithography, and thelike. As described above, a computer data file may be created includingthe article of footwear shown. The article 800 may then be manufacturedin an additive process wherein, for instance, a powder is fused togetherin various regions in a layer-by-layer process to form the article 800.This manufacturing technique provides the capability to manufacturecomplex shapes, patterns, etc. that might be difficult or impossibleusing conventional manufacturing techniques, such as molding.

The article of footwear 800 generally includes an upper region 802 andan outsole region 804. In the arrangement shown, the upper region 802and outsole region 804 are formed as a single continuous piece. Forinstance, the upper 802 and outsole 804 may be formed as a unitarymember wherein no distinct separation is found between the upper 802 andthe outsole 804. In other arrangements, the upper 802 may be joined witha conventional outsole or, alternatively, the outsole 804 of FIG. 8 maybe joined with a conventional upper.

The upper region 802 includes an ankle opening 806 through which thefoot of a wearer is inserted. The ankle opening 806 may be sized toaccommodate a variety of foot sizes. Additionally or alternatively, acollar area 808 of the opening may be configured to stretch toaccommodate the foot of the wearer. The upper region 802 of the articleof footwear 800 may be configured to fit snugly around the foot of thewearer to aid in holding the shoe 800 on the foot of the wearer. In somearrangements, the upper 802 may stretch to conform to the foot of thewearer to accommodate variations in size of the foot.

The article of footwear 800 may be formed of any suitable material, suchas a thermoplastic elastomer that may be used in a rapid manufacturingadditive fabrication technique. The material from which the article offootwear 800 is formed may be selected for properties such asflexibility, wear resistance, water resistance, and the like.

The article of footwear 800 includes a plurality of apertures 810 formedin the upper 802 and outsole 804 regions. The apertures 810 may aid inproviding ventilation and flexibility for the article of footwear 800and may reduce weight associated with the article of footwear 800. Theapertures 810 may be formed randomly, i.e., in a non-repeating pattern.Additionally or alternatively, the apertures 810 may be formed in arepeating pattern. In one arrangement, the article of footwear 800 mayinclude apertures 810 formed in a pattern particular to a user. Forinstance, a computer data file may be created including an article offootwear 800 having apertures 810 distributed throughout the upper andoutsole regions in a pattern selected by or determined for a particularuser. The article of footwear 800 may then be created usinglayer-by-layer processes, such as laser sintering, solid depositionmodeling, stereolithography, and the like, to create the article offootwear 800 created in the data file. That particular pattern may beused only for that particular user, if desired. This provides a costeffective method of creating shoes with customized aperture patterns forindividual users. Additionally or alternatively, the data file createdmay be used to create a plurality of articles of footwear having thesame aperture pattern.

The apertures 810 formed in the article of footwear 800 may includeapertures 810 of various shapes and sizes. In one arrangement, theapertures 810 may be straight sided apertures in the shape of regular orirregular polygons. For instance, the article of footwear 800 mayinclude apertures 810 that are square, rectangular, trapezoidal,triangular, hexagonal, octagonal and the like. Circular apertures mayalso be included. In addition, the apertures 810 may have irregularshapes including shapes with unequal sides, etc. The arrangement ofapertures 810 in the article of footwear 800 shown was inspired by theBird's Nest stadium of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Manufacturing thearticle 800 using a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication techniqueprovides virtually limitless opportunities for variety in aperture shapebecause any shape that can be created in the data file can be builtusing the layer-by-layer process associated with the technique.

The apertures 810 formed may also vary in size. In some arrangements,the apertures 810 may be the same size or similar size throughout theupper 802 and outsole 804 regions of the article of footwear 800. Inother arrangements, the apertures 810 may be sized similarly throughoutthe upper region 802 but may vary in size in the outsole region 804. Anycombination of aperture shape and size may be formed in the article offootwear 800.

One advantage to forming the article of footwear 800 using a rapidmanufacturing additive fabrication technique is minimization of waste.In conventional shoes having a plurality of apertures, material may haveto be trimmed from the article after a molding process is complete orthe apertures may have to be cut from the article of footwear (e.g.,using a die-cutting procedure). In the arrangement shown, substantiallyall of the material used in the manufacture of the shoe 800 is thatshown on the shoe 800. Any powder or loose material that is not fused toother material to form the shoe 800 may be removed during or after themanufacturing process and recycled, thereby minimizing the amount ofwaste associated with the manufacture of each article of footwear 800.

The article of footwear 800 may also include one or more logo regions812. The logo region 812 may be integrally formed on any suitable sideor surface of the article of footwear 800. In some arrangements, thelogo may be formed in the shoe 800 during the rapid manufacturingadditive fabrication process. In other arrangements, the logo may beadded to the logo region 812 of the shoe 800 after the shoe has beenproduced. When separately added to the shoe design, the logo may beconnected to the shoe 800 using known means of connection, such asadhesives, stitching, mechanical connectors and fasteners, and the like.

The article of footwear 800 may also include a comfort enhancing element814. The comfort enhancing element 814 will provide additional impactattenuation and flexibility for the wearer. With reference to FIG. 9,comfort enhancing element 814 may be formed using a rapid manufacturingadditive fabrication technique, such as laser sintering,stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The comfortenhancing element 814 may be integrally formed with the article offootwear 800, or it may be separately formed using the rapidmanufacturing additive fabrication technique. In some arrangements, thecomfort enhancing element 814 may be a conventional comfort enhancingelement (e.g., a footwear insole element, a sock liner, a fluid-filledbladder, etc.) formed using conventional manufacturing techniques, suchas molding, sewing, and the like. The article of footwear 800 may beused with the comfort enhancing element 814 and, in some arrangements,may be worn without the comfort enhancing element 814, as shown in FIG.10.

The comfort enhancing element 814 may include a top surface 816configured to provide traction for the foot of the wearer. For instance,the top surface 816 of the element 814 may include texture, such asgrooves, ribs, nubs, and the like, to aid in maintaining the position ofthe foot within the article of footwear 800. In addition, the comfortenhancing element 814 may be formed of materials having anti-bacterialand/or anti-microbial characteristics to aid in preventing odor.

In addition, if desired, the comfort enhancing element 814 may include alogo region 815. In some arrangements, the logo may be integrally formedin the element during the rapid manufacturing additive fabricationtechnique used to create the comfort enhancing element 814. Inarrangements in which a conventional comfort enhancing element is used,the logo may be molded in or may be a separate piece connected to theelement using known means of attachment, such as adhesives, stitching,mechanical connectors, and the like.

In some arrangements, the heel region 811 of the article of footwear 800may include apertures similar to the apertures 810 formed in the upperand outsole regions. In other arrangements, such as the arrangement ofFIGS. 8 and 9, the heel region 811 may be formed as a solid region. Thissolid region may provide additional support to the heel region 811 andmay aid in holding the shoe on the foot of the wearer. In still otherarrangements, however, if desired, the article of footwear 800 mayinclude a heel or ankle strap (not shown) to aid in holding the shoe 800on the foot of the wearer.

The bottom surface 820 of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 10 mayinclude apertures, similar to the upper 802 and outsole 804 regions ofthe article of footwear 800. In some arrangements, the pattern ofapertures on the upper region 802 may be repeated on the bottom surface820 of the article of footwear. In other arrangements, the bottomsurface 820 may include a pattern different from the pattern ofapertures 810 formed in the upper region 802 and the outsole region 804(e.g., if necessary and/or desired to provide additional traction,durability, and/or wear resistance). The bottom surface 820 also may bemade somewhat thicker, e.g., to enhance wear resistance.

In some arrangements, the bottom surface 820 of the article of footwear800 may be generally flat and/or void of any type of traction elements,such as grooves, ridges, nubs and the like, as shown in FIG. 10. Inother arrangements, however, the bottom surface 820 may include suchtraction elements. These traction elements may be formed in the bottomsurface 820 of the article of footwear 800 through the rapidmanufacturing additive fabrication technique used to form the article offootwear 800. For instance, in creating the data file from which thearticle of footwear 800 will be formed, various traction elements may beincluded in the bottom surface 820 of the shoe 800. Those tractionelements will then be formed in the bottom surface 820 through thelayer-by-layer process associated with the rapid manufacturing additivefabrication technique used to form the shoe 800. Alternatively, ifdesired, separate traction elements, such as rubber elements, may beattached to the bottom surface 820 and function as traction elements.

As discussed above, various post-manufacturing processes may beperformed on the article of footwear 800. For instance, the article offootwear may be painted to provide a unique design or color scheme onthe shoe 800. Additionally or alternatively, various reinforcements maybe connected to the shoe 800 to provide additional support, wearresistance and/or design elements to the shoe 800. As some more specificexamples, a heel counter, arch support, edge reinforcing elements, orother structures may be incorporated into the footwear structure 800.

In addition to the advantages described above, use of rapidmanufacturing additive fabrication techniques may permit a manufacturerto maximize build volume in order to reduce costs, manufacturing time,etc. For instance, the layer-by-layer processes described above may beused to manufacture small parts within a hollow portion of larger partsbeing manufactured. For instance, in manufacturing a shoe upper, a CADfile will be created including the design of the upper. In addition, theCAD file may include a design of a watch band within the void created bythe shoe upper. During the manufacturing process, the upper will beproduced using the layer-by-layer process to fuse particles of theupper. In addition, the laser will fuse particles associated with thewatch band within the void created by the upper. When the process iscomplete, any particles not fused will be removed and recycled whenpossible and the watch band and upper will remain as separate parts. Inthis same manner, a separate comfort enhancing element, such as element814, may be rapid manufactured within the shoe structure withoutrequiring connection between the comfort enhancing element and the shoestructure. This arrangement optimizes the manufacture of articlesbecause two articles may be created in one process. In somearrangements, several different articles may be manufactured withinanother article using the rapid manufacturing additive fabricationtechnique.

CONCLUSION

While the invention has been described in detail in terms of specificexamples including presently preferred modes of carrying out theinvention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there arenumerous variations and permutations of the above described systems andmethods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construedbroadly as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising: forming at least one portion of an upper, the at least one portion of the upper being formed from a thermoplastic elastomer material fused together using a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique; forming a midsole impact force attenuation system, the midsole impact force attenuation system being separate from the upper and being formed from a thermoplastic elastomer material fused together using the rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique, wherein the midsole impact force attenuation system includes a plurality of interlocked links; placing the midsole impact force attenuation system in a housing; and engaging the at least one portion of the upper to the housing such that the housing is positioned to support a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear.
 2. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising: forming an upper portion using a non-rapid manufacturing technique; forming a sole structure including: forming a midsole impact force attenuation system from a thermoplastic elastomer material fused together using a rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique, wherein the midsole impact force attenuation system includes a plurality of interlocking links, and placing the midsole impact force attenuation system in a housing; and engaging the sole structure with the upper portion such that the housing is positioned to support a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear. 